Device for preventing horses from cribbing



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.A. J. AVERY. DEVICE FOR PREVBNTING HORSES FROM GRIBBING. No. 412,716. Patented Oct. 15, 1889.

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V DEVICE PORQPREVVENTING HORSES FROM ORIBBING. N0. 412,716; Patented Oct. 15, 1889.

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, ANDREW J. AVERY, OF NORWAY, 'MA INE.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING HORSES FROM. CRIBBING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,716, dated October 15, 1889 i Application filed ripril 1.7,1889. Serial No. 307,547. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW J. AVERY, a citizen of the-United States of America, resid ing at Norway, in the county of Oxford and 5 State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Preventing Horses from Oribbing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in means for preventing animals from cribbing the feed-boxes in their stalls, and the object is to simplify and improve existing constructions and mechanisms of devices of the class named.

r 5. To this end my invention consists in the particular construction of parts and their combination, as willbefully set forth and described hereinafter, and specially as the same will be distinguished in the claims.

2o My invention is clearly and fully illustrate in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective of a feed-box having my improvements connected thereto, the

parts being shown in position they automati- 2 cally assume when not disturbed by pressure on the hinged side of the feed-box. Fig.2 is a front view in elevation, showing the swinging frame or bar thrown up, eing the position it assumes when the hinged side of the box is pushed outward. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the feed-box and mechanism. 'Fig. 4 is a detail view of the mechanism removed from the feed-box.

A is the feed-box, which, so far as the rear 5 and end pieces are concerned, may be of any of the usual constructions.

B designates the hinged side of the feedbox, which is of such length as to move unobstructed within its limited movements be? 0 tween the end pieces of the feed-box or between the side walls of the stall which may constitute the ends of the feed-box. Ahinge 1 secures this hinged side to the bottom of the feed-box. The hinged side is cut away 5 at each end in the upper parts, as at 2 3, and

has vertically-arranged slots 4: extending below the cut-away parts. The cut-away parts "2 and 3 afford room for the projecting ends ofthe shaft, and the slots let the swinging frame hang down close to the face of the hinged side of the feed-box. Extending along it longitudinally through the upper part of the hinged side is a hole 5, constituting a tubular bearing for the shaft of the swinging frame. On each end of the feed-box is secured a cleat or post 6 7, against which the side end faces of the hinged side lodge when in its normal position. In the tubular bearing 5 is mounted or arranged a shaft 8, the ends of which project beyond the ends of the upper portion of the hinged side, and on this shaft are fixed collars 9, to keep the shaft from having end-play, and also serve as one side of a clamp to hold the swinging frame in position on the shaft. On each of these pro-. jecting ends of the shaft is a sleeve 10, in which is an eye or clamping-screw 11,having a chain 12 attached thereto, the other end of the chain being secured to the top of the cleats or posts in the feed-box, substantially as shown; or the inner ends of the chain or chains may be fixed to the side walls of the box.

0 is the swinging frame, consistingof a metal band or bar having its ends struck down, forming arms, as 13, these end arms being provided with open-end slots 14, which straddle the ends of the shaft and render the swinging frame adjustable in its connec tion's thereon. The main or front part of 8c the swinging frame has its inner edge serrated or formed with small teeth 15, intended to prick the jaw of the animal when the bar is thrown upward, and on this part is preferably secured a plate of wood 16, which strengthens the frame and gives sufficient weight thereto to make the action in the down= ward movement more positive. If the metal bar of the swinging frame is heavy enough, it need not be so weighted or strengthened. go The slotted ends of the swinging frame are arranged on the shaft between the collars and the sleeve and clamped tight by means of threaded nuts 17 on the ends of the shaft, which are threaded to receive them. The swinging frame may be placed in its relation to the top edge of the hinged side, so as to strike just at the inner edge thereof, or to ex tend in its movements upward partly over the edge.

The operation is as follows: When the animal grips the edge of the hinged side with his teeth preparatory to cribbing, he invariablybears down in the direction of his breast, or inward. This movement or force moves the hinged side of the box in the same direction, which, through the action of the chains, turns the shaft in opposite direction, carrying upward the swinging frame, causing it to strike against the jaw of the animal and making him loose his hold on the box. \Vhen the animal releases his bite on the hinged side, it automatically returns to its more upright position by the action of the leverage of the swinging frame turning the shaft, the chains being thereby wound up on the sleeves.

It will be perceived that the connection of one chain may accomplish the purpose, in which instance the cut-away part at one end of the hinged side need not be so large as when twochains are used, because the projecting end of the shaft need not be so long.

Having thus fully described my invention, so as to distinguish it from other devices of the kind, I now particularly point out and distinctly claim the parts,improvements, and combinations which I claim as my invention, as follows:

1. The combination, with a feedbox, of a hinged side, a shaft journaled therein, a swinging frame arranged on said shaft to swing upward over the upper edge of the hinged side, and chains secured on said shaft and to the sides of the feed-box, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with a feed-box, of a hinged 'side formed with a tubular bearing longitudinally extended through it, and cutaway end portions,a shaft projected through said tubular bearing and provided with annular collars to prevent end-play, clampingsleeves on the projectingends of said shaft, chains having one end secured to said sleeves and the other end fastened to the feed-box, and the swinging frame formed with slotted end arms arranged on the shaft and clamped between the sleeves and the collars thereon, substantially as specified.

3. In a device for preventing animals from cribbing, the combination of a hinged plate constituting one side of the feed-box and provided with a tubular bearing extended longitudinally through it,a shaft mounted in said bearing, a swinging frame mounted on said shaft to turn upward over the upper edge of the hinged plate, and means, substantially as described,for holding the plate in normal position and for throwing the swinging frame upward, all substantially as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two attesting Witnesses.

ANDREW J. AVERY.

Attest:

HOWARD D. SMITH, STELLA M. PIKE. 

